💰We Pay Out-Of-Pocket in Thailand for Healthcare - Here's The Cost

Comments · 171

• RE

  @retireabroadfinance · 7 months ago

  I&apos;m getting a hip replacement surgery done in Bangkok Phuket Hospital in about a month - my TOTAL costs (pre-op, 3 nights in private room, care, tests, operation, post op, medication, followups) will cost me $15,000. &nbsp;It will be the newest, least invasive technology and procedure with the highest quality medical device. &nbsp;You would pay probably 8 or 9 times that in the USA for the operation ALONE, if you could even get in the door. &nbsp;I have already been struggling with this in the US for 10 yrs - I&apos;ve been going through the US process for my hip issue for that long. &nbsp;Initial consult, diagnosis, shots, meds, PT.... misdiagnosis, start over again. &nbsp;Rinse and repeat. &nbsp;We ended the years of trying to work through the system with the Ortho Specialist at a sports clinic admitting that I really needed a new hip but that I was too young for it (54 at the time) so they wouldn&apos;t approve it and I needed to struggle along a little longer. &nbsp;The justification for this was that the device would need replacement in 25 yrs and it wouldn&apos;t work for me to have another one at 79. &nbsp;WHAT?????? &nbsp; I could start again with a different doctor to try to get another result but my insurance said I &quot;had enough PT and shouldn&apos;t need any more&quot; and the thought of starting over was exhausting to me and very frustrating. &nbsp; So I became more and more sedentary, from my formerly VERY active life of jogging, P90x, yoga, etc. &nbsp;Everything hurt. &nbsp;I won&apos;t even talk about all the misdiagnoses along the way. &nbsp;I even had an SI joint fusion which took care of some of the searing pain but didn&apos;t help my hip. &nbsp; Fast forward to Thailand.... I met in December with the surgeon (2 hrs early to my scheduled appt, mind you) and he listened to my issues, observed my awkward gait, sent me for an immediate xray..... I completed that and sat to wait. &nbsp;5 mins later I&apos;m BACK IN HIS OFFICE. &nbsp;He has the xray pulled up on the computer and immediately told me - &quot;You are in end stage osteoarthritis and are bone on bone. &nbsp;You are out of options. &nbsp;You need a new hip.&quot; &nbsp;He answered all of my questions, explained the newest DAA procedure and the differences in the device qualities available to determine my preferences, told me they would get me a quote within 20 mins or so and that he only needed about a week&apos;s notice for when I wanted to do it. &nbsp;He knew that we were only there for a couple of weeks. &nbsp;Unreal. &nbsp;This whole process at the hospital that day cost me $80, xrays included. &nbsp;I left with a copy of my xrays emailed to me, a full quote that is guaranteed and a letter explaining my diagnosis. &nbsp;My daughter can read xrays and took a look at mine and virtually repeated his diagnosis, pointing out the problem areas that are the most deteriorated, a verification for me. &nbsp;<br>I&apos;m stunned by the comparison between how I dealt with this issue in the US vs Thailand. &nbsp;Not even a contest here. &nbsp; Once I left I checked if I should move to another hospital in Thailand and found that the Phuket Ortho unit is very very good - it was recommended as more high tech than my options in Malaysia even but the two are close. &nbsp;I also found out that the network Bangkok Ducit (?) is globally recognized as top 5 in the world for environmental cleanliness (refers to infection rate). &nbsp;I talked to a friend of mine (a surgical nurse in US) and she was extremely impressed. &nbsp;She works at a teaching hospital for an Ivy League med school that is highly regarded in US and she was stunned at the ease of use and efficiency and cost of the Thai medical services. &nbsp;Very very happy with my whole experience.

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• CH

  @charletteprzybylski3417 · 3 months ago

  Tina and Sean, I am just blown away by the excellent medical care you received for a well check up and at an affordable price. &nbsp;I am also appreciating the comments from the other viewers. &nbsp;So informative. My husband listened in on this one too, and earlier today I had sent him your video about the steps leading up to retirement. &nbsp;Now you have him thinking. &nbsp;Thank you!!

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• NO

  @nomadjim · 7 months ago

  Great to hear you were impressed with your health screening and that you are both in good health. Sounds similar to the health screening I&apos;ve been doing annually at Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur. The physicals that we get in the US just can&apos;t compare to these health screenings in Thailand and Malaysia. I&apos;m always blown away by the efficiency, thoroughness, quality, and customer service when receiving a health screening. Plus the ease of meeting with doctors so quickly and the very reasonable cost that makes it no issue to pay out of pocket. After the first time I had my health screening in KL, I received a hardcopy booklet with all the results, which I showed to my doctor in the US the next time I met with him. He looked through it, shaking his head and saying, &quot;I wish we could do this.&quot; But the US healthcare industry isn&apos;t set up that way. It&apos;s more reactive than proactive. Thanks for sharing your experience!

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• LI

  @lisasgto592 · 7 months ago

  I’m so glad more people are exploring living overseas. My husband and I lived there in the late 1990s and Bumrangrad was a top hospital then. it was ahead in many ways compared to US hospitals. &nbsp;We had a card, about the siz of a credit card that used to access your medical info. We did not have to fill out forms for every visit. All the doctors were either educated in US, Europe, or Australia. All of them spoke English and many were multilingual. &nbsp;Many Americans used the maternity services, in addition to other surgical procedures. They also have excellent follow up care. &nbsp;They will send a nurse to you home after surgery 5th on you. &nbsp;Short wait times, reasonably priced medication and with some no prescription needed. &nbsp;We paid up front for everything because of the cheaper cost and reimbursed from BCBS.

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• WO

  @worldtravelventures · 7 months ago

  Im getting an eye exam at Bumrungrad in May and I have a dentist appointment in May as well at the Bangkok International dentistry center. my HSA is paying for all of it. <br>Im in the process of getting Pacific Cross Health Insurance prior to leaving the U.S. Thnx for sharing everything as it&apos;s very helpful for those of us following in your footsteps

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• PV

  @pvarawat · 7 months ago

  You guys looks so young and healthy. Welcome to Thailand

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• LY

  @lynettej777 · 7 months ago

  THIS is what healthcare in the US used to look like, until it didn&apos;t. This gives me peace when I visit Thailand in the future. Thanks for sharing. Safe travels and all the best. &nbsp;👏🏼 👍🏻 😀 ❤️

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• YV

  @yvonnerinehart5559 · 7 months ago

  Thank you so much for sharing <br> What a beautiful couple you are and all the best in your journey and adventures all over the world. &nbsp;Blessings to you🙏🏾✨✨✨

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• BL

  @Blessedgirl1955 · 7 months ago

  I immediately joined your channel, not because I plan to slow travel but because I have watched many channels without joining but just fell in love with the two of you! &nbsp;So fascinated about other countries and would love to travel but I am not almost 71 and have several health problems that keep me from being able to travel so I travel through those who can and just love traveling videos. &nbsp;You guys are so sweet and genuine and this video opened my eyes even more to the high priced lousy &quot;sick care&quot; system in the USA. &nbsp;Just got a notice that my secondary insurance company premium just went up another $42.00 per month after just going up last year so I am fascinated at how cheap it could be somewhere else without Medicare. &nbsp;God bless both of you and safe travels, I look forward to watching many more of your videos.

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• JO

  @johnh7718 · 7 months ago

  Sounds like you are both healthy enough that we will enjoys years of travel videos.

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• PR

  @Private-wj4nd · 3 months ago

  This made me cry. My 20 year old daughter just died after a long illness. The insurance denied every critical claim and made things impossible.

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• TH

  @Thirstytraveler41 · 7 months ago

  Very informative video! Yes, healthcare is definitely cheaper in Thailand, and outside of the US. The challenging part for me this year is finding a good travel health insurance covering pre-existing condition.

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